What happens at a Moth Night? Basically, you put up a sheet and a light after dark and sit around with your friends and family. YOU can do science by chillin’ on the patio on a beautiful summer night. Alcoholic libations may be consumed, although whether or not it is an essential part of mothing varies, depending on who you talk to.

You can also join a group led by an experienced moth-er; there are Moth Nights scheduled globally:

The photo you upload lets a specialist confirm ID, and then compile species distribution maps. These data are available to scientists to examine how habitat loss, climate change, and host plant distributions are changing the fauna of our backyards and woods. Your data documents moth species in time and space.

Moth Week is a great time to look more closely at the animals around you. Moths can be spectacular mimics of wasps; they can be smaller than the head of a pin. They have surprising genitals. They can be large with startling underwing patterns, like the Io moth on the Moth Week Logo. Or they can be invisible masters of disguise, like one of my favorite UK moths, the buff tip. Go outside and enjoy the magic of moths.

Slide: 1 /of 6.Caption: Caption: The Buff Tip Moth, found in the UK, is an amazing mimic of broken twigs.Steve Ormerod

Slide: 4 /of 6.Caption: Caption: Little moth-ers love helping! They also enjoy seeing their data online. If you are at a site using an intense black light or mercury vapor light, goggles to protect eyes may be available.Gwen Pearson

Slide: 5 /of 6.Caption: Caption: A lovely Pellucid Hawk Moth. This group of moths is often mistaken for hummingbirds or large bees.Conifer @ Flickr

Slide: 4 /of 6Caption: Caption: Little moth-ers love helping! They also enjoy seeing their data online. If you are at a site using an intense black light or mercury vapor light, goggles to protect eyes may be available.Gwen Pearson

Slide: 5 /of 6Caption: Caption: A lovely Pellucid Hawk Moth. This group of moths is often mistaken for hummingbirds or large bees.Conifer @ Flickr

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Moths feed on fermenting fruit and tree sap; create an artificial bait that will bring them to you.

1 large container with a lid

1 overripe banana

A few ounces of dark rum

A bottle of dark beer

A box of dark brown sugar and/or a bottle of dark molasses

There is intense debate in the mothing community about the alcohol used in bait. Some insist you comprehensively sample the rum and beer to make sure it is fresh and safe for moths. Others feel you should use stale beer and the cheapest booze possible, so as to not waste a valuable resource. I’ll let you make your own call on this.

Mash the banana, then add remaining ingredients. Put a tight lid on the container and leave in the sun for a few hours to a day. This promotes creation of the yummy volatile smells that attract moths.

Using a small bristle paintbrush, paint a 1-foot square area on tree trunks about 3 or 4 feet off the ground just as the sun is setting. Return periodically as the evening progresses to see what moths are attracted.

“I find the bait works best when I split a few beers and maybe some rum with the mixture. Some beer and rum for me, some for the moths. Or maybe there aren’t really any moths?” ~Dave Moskowitz, Co-Founder of National Moth Week.

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